Loving the Grand Piano

When you are looking to buy something, there are often a lot of different types to choose from. If you are looking at houses, you might consider a ranch-style, a two-story, or a Tudor. If you are considering purchasing a car, you might look at a Ford, a Mazda, or a Mitsubishi. Though you might not guess it, the same is true when you are purchasing a piano. There are many different types but there is only one that will be instantly recognizable and will elevate you to the next level - the grand piano.

Anyone who walks into a music room will instantly recognize this instrument. Now, you might ask what sets this one apart from others of its type, such as the upright or the player. Well, for starters, the frame and strings are horizontal. In an upright, the strings and frame are, as expected, vertical. When they're horizontal, all of the action will occur beneath the strings. This uses gravity in order to return the strings to rest and results in a richer tone that will last longer as it takes more time for the string to stop vibrating. In this case, gravity helps the instrument to produce a higher quality sound.

Just as the grand piano is just a subset, there are subsets here as well. These are the concert, the baby, and the parlor. A concert is usually what you would find at a concert or a musical hall such as Juilliard. It is between two and three meters long or about seven to ten feet. This is the largest of all types. The parlor is smaller than the concert, ranging about five feet nine inches to six feet one inch. You can find these in sitting rooms in houses and are typically what are purchased when someone wants a midsize grand. They are also called the living room grand. The final type is the baby, which, as the name indicates, is the baby of the family. The size of this one is typically four feet eleven inches to five feet six inches. It's a favorite of music aficionados because of its rich tone, aesthetic appeal, and, most tantalizing of all, its affordability. If you are looking for a new grand piano, you would do well to research each of these different types before making your final selection.

Another feature of the grand piano that you will want to bear in mind is the inharmonicity of the strings. This is the degree to which the octaves overlap and are sharp. You will want to make sure that the octaves do not overlap because, if they do, the instrument will lose its rich sound and tones. In a concert grand especially, there is room for all the strings to function independently and refrain from touching each other. As long as all the strings are operating independently of each other, the sound will remain pure and unsullied. It will produce nearly perfect and beatless perfect fifths.

If you are shopping for a new grand piano, bear in mind that there are a lot of pluses to the purchase. Just be sure you know what type you are looking for and be sure that your wallet is big enough to cover the cost!